Fuselage

♡~♡ Chapter 21 ♡~♡

Katsuki's vision split at the admission, he pulled away. "What's that mean, Ei?"

"It means you're a guarded person." Eijirou's thumb played a dangerous game teasing along the hem of Katsuki's jeans, gently guiding Katsuki back against his body so that he was nestled against him again. "Any little bit you share with me is... it's like gold."

"I-" His heart thundered in his ears. Katsuki knew his face was a thousand degrees hotter than any other part of his body. Thickly he swallowed, words and emotions tangled in his throat. If he was going to confess, now would be it. "Eijirou I-"

Now, surrounded by soft clouds painted rainbow by the sun and water. Now when Eijirou was holding him, him, in such a tender embrace Katsuki could cry from it. Now when they were alone and would be unbothered by the extras that stole all Eijirou's attention. Now when they were both closer, more vulnerable than they had ever been before. Now when there were no secrets-

Right? Katsuki bit his lip, eyes narrowed as he circled Ground Zero sharply, earning a soft whoa from his passenger, grip tightening - and oh how he relished it.

"You what, Kat?"

Voice so soft, touch so sweet and yet- Yet Eijirou was very good at keeping and collecting secrets. Katsuki's mind flashed back to the lake, how Mina and he had worked together to keep Kyoka quiet. How Eijirou knew things about the Kirishima's, same as everyone else - more so as their nephew.

The moment faded as the plane descended, trees and hangars coming into view. Aki and Sakura racing wildly - two dots on the ground, barely discernible.

"I..." Katsuki sighed, straightening. The fantasy broken, reality

I've got a crush on my bestfriend. Who has a girlfriend. Who is straight... God I'm an idiot.

He snorted, barking out a laugh. "I think it's time to head back. We're gunna circle back around and land, okay?" Katsuki shook his head at Eijirou's confused glance. "It's been about twenty minutes and we've both got people waiting on us."

♡~♡~♡

The twilight sky winked half stars, half sunset down on revelry; lights, laughter, and lewd jokes - from one Hanta Sero in particular.

"All right, all right." Mina pushed away from the table, peering over the divider. "As fun as you guys are the boy toy's here and I've got my eyes on a stuffed tanuki."

"Getting an effigy in your likeness?" Katsuki choked as Eijirou elbowed him.

"Rude, man!"

"Oh, calm down Ei." She waved, piling her wallet and napkins into her clamshell. "Ever since that flight you've been so-"

"He's just looking out for your feelings, Raccoon Eyes." Katsuki kicked Denki under the table, as he spoke. "Keep your fuckin feet on your side." Finger pointed ominously.

"Men." Mina rolled her eyes. "Alright dudes. See ya."

"I thought you didn't date?" Denki frowned.

"It isn't a date." Mina froze, her hand dropping as someone approached. "I told him not to- you don't think he would still think this is... do you?" Worried eyes turned to sweep over the table.

"If you told him it isn't then it's not." Eijirou leaned back to reach around Katsuki, grabbing her elbow in reassurance. "Mina, it's okay to be friends. It's okay to be you. It's okay." His grip tightened.

"Yeah." Hanta smiled up at her, "if we could do it, so can he."

Mina laughed, "You're so gross." She grimaced. "But you're right." She inhaled, exhaled, confidence back in place. "I look good?"

"You're perfect just the way you are." Eijirou rubbed his thumb over her skin before moving back to his seat.

"Aw, babe." A hand moved to her chest, sparkle nails glimmering. "I know. I'm a snack." Mina winked, then lower, "But you're perfect too, Ei."

"Mina?" A masculine voice shouted over a small crowd blocking his path.

"Alright, I'm really off this time losers." A tongue popped out as she pushed her chair in, waving. "See you!"

"Wouldn't wanna be yah!" The table chorused after her.

"Well that was sweet, Ei. Speaking of I, for one," Hanta spun his shot glass on the table idly, turning back to the remaining group. "Would have paid to see Ei get in a plane."

Denki burst out laughing, "I know right? Bet he was all knobby knees and weeping big ol' crocodile tears, 'No, Kat, please let's land'!"

"Don't!" Katsuki's hand slapped on the table, drowning out the sounds of the carnival around them, glaring into wide golden eyes. "You don't get to call me that." He took a slow sip of his shot glass. "And he wasn't..." A frown as words struggled to form.

How did he describe how beautiful Eijirou was up in the air? His strong grip and soft words, rose red hair and vulnerable touches? Katsuki shook his head.

"He fuckin took the dives like a goddamn champ. Ground Zero has nothing on Rock Steady over here." A sharp elbow to Eijirou's arm, knocked the surprised look off his face.

Roll with it idiot.

Eyebrows rose in acknowledgement.

"It wasn't so bad up in Ground Zero." Eijirou leaned forward, cup dangling precariously from fingertips, "besides, Kat's too preoccupied to notice these things with all his stunts, but it's gorgeous up there."

"I-it is?" Denki's head cocked, cotton candy forgotten for a minute. "Like, how-"

"Better than the pictures. You've seen the ones online? Yeah. Better. Like... God, 3-D and tangible. I wish I could have touched them." Eijirou leaned back, drinking, hand falling on Katsuki's back, gentle, warm. "And I never would have known." His gaze turned to Katsuki, soft and knowing - secretive. "Thanks, man."

"Whatever." Katsuki downed the shot, ignoring the artificial heat swarm through his throat, chest, stomach.

It was nothing compared to the very real fire exploding inside of his guts, raging within his stomach, expanding into his veins. Katsuki blinked as Denki filled his shot glass. Immediately he downed it, ignoring the startled looks, the laughter following soon after. He had to dull his nerves somehow. If he could still feel that hand, Eijirou's hand, he wasn't drunk enough. Fingers pressed along Katsuki's spine, palm wide and warm. Thumb, that motherfucking thumb, moving in small circles. Electricity jolted at the featherlight touch, racing like wildfire straight to his head, making him dizzy; drunk without the liquor. God damn it was driving Katsuki mad. He wanted more, he needed less.

Katsuki stood in a rush, blood and alcohol flooding his head.

"Easy there, Kat." Eijirou chuckled, hand darting out to steady him.

Katsuki growled, too aware of the grip digging into his oblique; steadying him - touching him. Tormenting him. The moron wasn't even looking at Katsuki. Eijirou half risen from his chair laughing at some bullshit one of the extras had spouted off. But when those red eyes met his as he stood-

When those fingers dragged up his torso, snagging and dipping over abs, tangling in his shirt, grazing skin as Eijirou moved to the other side of him-

When they cinched at his opposite hip-

When Eijirou stood at his side, grabbing Katsuki's arm and dragging it over his own shoulders-

Fuck.

"How about the Ferris Wheel first?" Denki suggested, almost a wild, manic energy around him as he threw his skateboard down. "Give Katsuki here time to burn off the alcohol and we can-"

"Dude!" Eijirou rumbled all around Katsuki in a chuckle; presence consuming. "Yes! Fuck yeah!"

Katsuki was not drunk enough for any of this.

"Grow up." Hanta sighed, then grinned. Slow, too wide - terrifying. "Though... good first part of your initiation." A brow raised as those dark brown eyes pinned Katsuki, glimmering ominously. "Alright, let's get stupid."

Shit.